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20 Refreshing Summer Cocktail Recipes You’re Going to Love

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With the summer right at our doorsteps, one thing that makes those long and hot days a bit more bearable, is having a nice, cold and refreshing drink on hand.

Whether you’re chilling at home, at a party or just hanging out with some friends and trying to have some fun, cocktails are the perfect drink for the occasion.

And you don’t need to be a professional level-100 barista to be able to make the best cocktails. They’re pretty simple and easy to make, and with very little stress.

In this post, you’ll discover 20 delicious and refreshing summer cocktail recipes, as well as some tips and tricks to help you make the best cocktails that will wow your friends, guests and even yourself.

Let’s dive in.

P.S… If you’re on a low carb or ketogenic diet, then check out our roundup of 14 amazing keto cocktail recipes that’ll actually keep you in ketosis.

Making A Cocktail – Ingredients

Depending on the type of cocktail you’re making, your ingredients can be very simple, say just some vodka, ice and orange juice, or a bit more complex.

Choosing to keep it simple or going super saiyan on your drink, all boils down to personal preference and what you like. So let the spirit lead.

In case you’re wondering what other ingredients you can add in your drink, here are some of the most popular cocktail ingredients. They include;

  1. Spirits – No, I don’t mean ghosts. I’m talking some gin, vodka, rum, etc.
  2. Liqueurs – the flavor is where it’s at
  3. Wine – of course how can we forget wine
  4. Beer
  5. Bitters
  6. Sodas
  7. Sweeteners and syrups
  8. Fruit juices
  9. Fresh fruit
  10. Egg white
  11. Cream and milk
  12. Coffee
  13. Herbs and spices – ginger, mint, basil and so on

Feel free to experiment with your favorites and see how it goes.

Tips For Making The Best Cocktails

Like I said earlier, you don’t need to be an expert barista to make awesome cocktails.

At the basic level, cocktails are like the easiest thing to make. Just combine your different ingredients and you’re good to go. It really doesn’t get more complex than that.

However, there are a couple of useful tips that might help you get the best out of your next barista-like adventure. Here are a few.

1) Pay Attention To Portions

When it comes to making the perfect cocktail, portions do matter. And as much as I’d love to give you a specific ratio, I think we both know it’s not always that simple.

However, it’s still worth pointing out that the portions matter. Two different glasses of an alcoholic mixture may not taste exactly the same if they use vastly different portions of the same ingredients.

Properly measuring the amount of different ingredients before pouring them in can go a long way in ensuring you’re sticking to the plan (if you have one beforehand).

While equipment like jiggers can be very helpful when it comes to measuring, not everyone has one of those in their homes. In such cases, you can make do with things like measuring spoons and measuring cups.

Some people are good at eyeballing things, most people (especially me) are not. So proper measurement does help. 

2) Shake/Stir Properly

Not every cocktail recipe will require shaking, although most popular ones do, especially when they contain thicker ingredients like cream, egg, fruit juices and so on.

When making those kind of drinks, you want to shake that thing like there’s no tomorrow.

Ok, maybe a little over exaggeration there, but you get the point. Shaking ensures the ingredients are well-mixed and also helps in breaking down some of the ice too.

You could always invest in a good shaker, or use other equipment like mason jars or sport flasks instead. Just make sure they’re tightly sealed.

Pretty much the same goes for stirring. Stirring is done more gently, and if you don’t have a bar spoon, you can use some chopsticks, or even a sturdy straw.

3) Fresh Is Best

If your drink requires the addition of fruits, it’s always a best idea to opt in for the fresh ones, since they deliver the best flavor.

It’s about to be summer soon, which means a lot of tasty fruits are going to be available, but it also means they could go bad more quickly too,  if not used early or stored properly. So remember to always opt in for the freshest and juiciest.

20 Tasty Cocktail Recipes

1) Best Naturally Sweetened Whiskey Sour

Best Naturally Sweetened Whiskey Sour
Via: A Couple Cooks

Get the recipe at – A Couple Cooks

2) Pink Vodka Lemonade Cocktail

Pink Vodka Lemonade Cocktail
Via: Café Delites

Get the recipe at – Café Delites

3) Frozen Pimm’s Cup

Frozen Pimm's Cup
Via: Delish

Get the recipe at – Delish

4) Rosé Hibiscus Mimosas

Rosé Hibiscus Mimosas
Via: How Sweet Eats

Get the recipe at – How Sweet Eats

5) Pineapple Ginger Mojito

Pineapple Ginger Mojito
Via: Pizzazzerie

Get the recipe at – Pizzazzerie

Also See: 24 Homemade Popsicle Recipes You Need To Try This Summer

6) Vodka Watermelon Cocktail

Vodka Watermelon Cocktail
Via: Joyful Healthy Eats

Get the recipe at – Joyful Healthy Eats

7) Rainbow Paradise Cocktail With Blue Curacao

Rainbow Paradise Cocktail With Blue Curacao
Via: Vegarecepten

Get the recipe at – Vegarecepten

8) Tequila Lime Mojitarita Cocktail

Tequila Lime Mojitarita Cocktail
Via: Family Style Food

Get the recipe at – Family Style Food

9) Frozen Pineapple Mango Daiquiri

Frozen Pineapple Mango Daiquiri
Via: Jelly Toast Blog

Get the recipe at – Jelly Toast Blog

10) Malibu Sunset

Malibu Sunset
Via: Averie Cooks

Get the recipe at – Averie Cooks

Also See: 20 Healthy 4th July Desserts That’ll Satisfy Your Cravings

11) Frozen Orange Prosecco

Frozen Orange Prosecco
Via: Foodness Gracious

Get the recipe at – Foodness Gracious

12) Pink Champagne Sangria

Pink Champagne Sangria
Via: The Cookie Rookie

Get the recipe at – The Cookie Rookie

13) Fig Thyme Shrub Cocktail

Fig Thyme Shrub Cocktail
Via: Spices In My DNA

Get the recipe at – Spices In My DNA

14) Frosting Shots

Frosting Shots
Via: Crazy For Crust

Get the recipe at – Crazy For Crust

15) Easy Pomegranate Margaritas

Easy Pomegranate Margaritas
Via: Baker By Nature

Get the recipe at – Baker By Nature

Also See: 25 Delicious Fruit Salad Recipes You Need To Try

16) Coconut Pineapple Rum Slush

Coconut Pineapple Rum Slush
Via: The Sweetest Occasion

Get the recipe at – The Sweetest Occasion

17) Blackberry Cucumber Gin and Tonic

Blackberry Cucumber Gin and Tonic
Via: The Wooden Skillet

Get the recipe at – The Wooden Skillet

18) Mango Sunrise Piña Colada

Mango Sunrise Piña Colada
Via: The Sweetest Occasion

Get the recipe at – The Sweetest Occasion

19) Boozy Popsicle Mimosas

Boozy Popsicle Mimosas
Via: Ready To Yumble

Get the recipe at – Ready To Yumble

20) Queen’s Park Swizzle Cocktail

Queen’s Park Swizzle Cocktail
Via: Purewow

Get the recipe at – Purewow


Which of these are you planning on trying next? Let me know down in the comments.

Don’t forget to save your favorites for later. Enjoy!

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